


A little love

by Hanaasbananas



Series: Hanaa's Bollywood Playlist [13]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien never went to school, Adrinette | Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Aged Up, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Identity Reveal, Ladynoir | Adrien Agreste as Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng as Ladybug, Marichat | Adrien Agreste as Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, ergo they never knew each other as civilians
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-13 02:01:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29768997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hanaasbananas/pseuds/Hanaasbananas
Summary: He thought of those weeks visiting Marinette on her balcony, cultivating a friendship as she built a place for herself in his heart. He thought of Ladybug, his partner who had been beside him through everything, who had waited for him even when it was clear he would not return. How, of all the cafes in Paris, Marinette had chosen to walk into his.Written for the Miraculous Writers Guild February Valentines February Event
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Series: Hanaa's Bollywood Playlist [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1818835
Comments: 27
Kudos: 177
Collections: Miraculous Writer's Guild February 2021 Event





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [epcot97](https://archiveofourown.org/users/epcot97/gifts).



> I tried to get in 3/4 of the things you requested, which isn't a bad score, right? This was only split into parts because well... you'll see. Enjoy!
> 
> This was inspired by this absolutely ADORABLE music video  
> [Thoda Thoda Pyaar](https://youtu.be/USccSZnS8MQ) and the title of the fic is from that song.  
> As usual, though I tried to follow the general plot of the music video, it....got away from me.

It began, as things often did in Paris, with an akuma attack.

Marinette had found that the employees at _Gabriel_ were particularly susceptible to akumatisation, especially right after they’d had a meeting with Monsieur Agreste himself, and she’d come to anticipate them. 

That didn’t mean she couldn’t be caught off guard though. With fashion week only a few days away, and so much work still to do, she’d sequestered herself away with the designs and sewing supplies, not noticing the akuma until it was too late. 

_Shitshitshit_ she thought hysterically, scrabbling to reach for her purse as she crawled behind the 

overturned table for temporary shelter, her mind racing, eyes darting around wildly as she tried to find a way to escape. Oh, _why_ had she chosen to work in the one place with only one exit? Could she transform here? She briefly entertained the notion, but no, it was too risky with the akuma _right there_ and-

The table was ripped away from in front of her, the akuma-apparently hell bent on destroying any and all _Gabriel_ employees, from top designers to bottom of the barrel interns- bearing down on her, his lips stretching wide in an ugly sneer. He reached for her with sharp needle like fingers that she’d seen rip the door to shreds in _seconds_ , and, resigned to her fate, Marinette squeezed her eyes shut, hoping somewhat futilely, she thought, that the pain would not last long.

She’d barely felt the whisper of his fingers on her skin when strong arms grabbed her, one wrapping tightly around her waist, the other underneath her knees. “Hold on!” Chat Noir yelled in her ear, securing his hold and lifting her up and away.

Marinette’s eyes flew open just in time to see them pass above the akuma who roared in fury, extending his arms to try and stop them, catching her leg and scoring a shallow cut all the way down her calf. Chat Noir didn’t set her down until he’d cleared the building and set her down at the entrance.

“Are you alright?” Chat gave her a quick once over, grasping her by the shoulders as she nodded, dazed and swaying on her feet. “ _Shit_ ,” he hissed, eyes alighting on her injured leg. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t-I-” the building behind them trembled and he swore again, head whipping around to look up as the windows rattled, some of them shattering from the force. 

“I need to-will you be alright?” Marinette saw the concern swimming in his green eyes, warring with the need to get back to the fight and she nodded, smiling faintly, though she suspected it looked more like a grimace. 

“Go,” she urged him, “I’ll be fine.” 

Chat opened his mouth to say something else, but at that moment, another tremor ran beneath their feet, and with one last dubious look at her, he went back inside. 

* * *

It wasn’t until later that evening that Marinette saw Chat Noir again. She’d been ruminating on their encounter, remembering the feeling of his arms around hers, the sheer _power_ she’d felt thrumming through him as he carried her to safety. 

Marinette wasn’t _blind_ , she knew that Chat was attractive-handsome, even. And he was her _partner,_ the only one who truly understood the struggles that came with their dual identities. Perhaps if there had been someone in her civilian life, the pull might not have been as strong, but Marinette was tired of resisting, of holding herself back from him. 

A movement across the street caught her eye and Marinette grinned. And she would _start_ right now. She jumped up, ignoring how the tea she was holding sloshed over the sides of the mug from her quick movement. 

“Chat Noir!” he barely stopped at her voice, slowing just enough to grin and wave before faltering as he saw her face. 

Using his baton, Chat vaulted over to the balcony and perched on the railing. “Hey…” he trailed off, head tilting to one side curiously. 

“Oh,” Marinette laughed, noting with interest the slight blush that dusted his cheeks. “I guess we didn’t have much time for introductions earlier, huh? I’m Marinette.”

* * *

The arrest was discreet. 

Father had asked for that much, in the end, speaking of a son who had nothing to do with his own schemes, and did not deserve to have his name tarnished. 

Chat wanted to laugh, to ask where that care had been before, when his son had _needed_ him, but instead he remained silent. 

“We need to tell the son. Adrien, I think his name is.” Ladybug spoke up beside him, her voice subdued as they watched fath-no _Hawkmoth_ being led away in disgrace. “He shouldn’t have to find out from the press, at least.”

“ _No.”_

“What?” Chat averted his gaze when she turned to face him, “we have to tell him, Chaton.” 

“Yes, I mean _no_ , I-” he shook his head in frustration, trying to piece his jumbled thoughts together. 

If Ladybug showed up to talk to Adrien, he didn’t think he’d be able to keep it together. He was barely holding on as it was, and distantly, he wondered if this was what a cataclysm felt like. Like all of his negative emotions: grief and hate and despair and rage, and rage and _rage_ had been amplified tenfold, churning around inside him in a dark mass that threatened to consume him, to destroy him from the inside out.

“I meant…” he licked his lips “I’ll talk to him myself, you don’t have to. Go home, m’lady, it’s been a long night.”

“If you’re sure,” she turned his face to meet hers, worried blue eyes scanning over him and he nodded, mustering up a weak attempt at a smile. 

Briefly, Chat contemplated visiting Marinette, but he dismissed the thought. In the past few weeks, she’d become a good friend to him, and he’d even caught himself thinking about seeking her out as a civilian, so that he might ask her out. But he knew that if he arrived on her balcony tonight, if he allowed himself to break, to crumble in her arms, he would certainly reveal his identity to her and then what would happen?

What would she think when she found out that the hero she had befriended, who she had allowed to visit her so often, had invited into her home and cared for, was the son of the supervillain who had terrorised Paris for years? 

No, he couldn't handle a rejection tonight, no matter how well deserved. Not now. 

“I’m sure.” Chat said instead.

“Well...okay then,” Ladybug hesitated a long moment before stepping on her tiptoes to press a kiss to his cheek. “I’ll call you tomorrow and we can meet up somewhere to discuss…” she shrugged, seemingly at a loss “to discuss things, I guess?” 

“Mhm.” He watched her go with a heavy heart, imprinting the image of her zipping across the skyline with her yo-yo, in his mind, a dull certainty settling like a heavy weight in his stomach. 

Chat Noir would not be seeing Ladybug ever again.

* * *

A week after they’d defeated Hawkmoth -her _boss!_ Marinette could hardly believe it, though she supposed that explained the amount of akumatisations that happened there-for the last time, Marinette found herself at the Eiffel tower, waiting-for the second time.

Looking over the small picnic she’d set up, she ran her fingers through her hair again, rearranging the set up for the fifth time that evening. The food she’d meticulously packed into the basket with the knowledge that it was Chat’s favourite had probably gone cold by now; the wine which had been cooling in a bucket of ice now sat in water, and still, Chat Noir was not there. 

Marinette wouldn’t give up though. Not now. She _couldn’t._ Flipping open her yo-yo, she called him, barely blinking when he didn’t pick up and it went to voicemail.

“Hey, Chaton, I just thought I’d call to say I’m at the Eiffel tower if you want to meet up, I’ve missed you, and well... I think it’s time we reveal our identities to each other. Call me back, okay?” 

She tried not to let her worry get the best of her-Chat had been acting strange after the last battle, maybe he’d come down with something and was sick, maybe he just needed time to adjust to the new normal. He hadn’t visited her balcony either, or she might have considered revealing herself to him there. 

Marinette shivered as the wind picked up, grabbing the picnic blanket and wrapping it around herself to keep warm. Whatever it was it didn’t matter; she’d wait as long as it took. 


	2. Chapter 2

_Four years later_

“Hello?” There was a knock on the counter above him and Adrien paused at the familiar voice. “Is anyone in? The sign said open so...”

Emerging from where he’d been putting things away behind the counter, Adrien grabbed a cup, beginning the motions of preparing an order. “Hi, what can I get you today?”

“Actually, can I meet Adrien?” 

Inwardly, he sighed at the question. Really, it had been a year already, hadn’t the novelty worn off yet? But when he met the girl's gaze, he was surprised to realise that he knew the girl standing across from him. Just as surprising was the way she looked around the place as though she was searching for someone else.

Huh.

“Yeah, one second-” he ducked back below the counter to grab his apron, ignoring her perplexed look until he pulled it over his head, gesturing to the name emblazoned across the front. “Adrien, that’s me.”

“Oh!” she clapped a hand to her mouth “Oh, shit, that’s embarrassing, um, hi, I’m Marinette,” she held out a hand for him to shake. “I’m writing an article on the best up and coming bakeries and cafes in the city and I’d really like it if I could write about your cafe. I’ve heard _amazing_ reviews about this place. Especially about all your cheese desserts.”

Adrien blinked. An article...well it was bound to be better than any of the _other_ things that had been written about him. The documentaries and exposes, and twitter threads ripping into father and Nathalie, even speculating about what Adrien himself might be capable of. But an article about the _cafe_...

She was staring at him expectantly and he nodded quickly. “I’d love that!”

“Perfect!” Marinette grinned, turning to go. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning then!”

* * *

Marinette wasn’t stupid. 

She knew exactly why Alya had gotten her to take charge of this project and it wasn’t because _you know so much more about pastries than I do!_

Please. As if something like lack of knowledge had ever stopped Alya before. 

Still, with Hawkmoth defeated for good, and the heroes of Paris gone, the Ladyblog was no longer active and Marinette supposed it couldn’t hurt to help Alya as she experimented with different endeavours. 

Getting Alya off her back about her abysmal social life was just a bonus. Not to mention that _Adrien’s Cafe_ was certainly...intriguing. 

Former model and son of the disgraced fashion designer Gabriel Agreste- _Hawkmoth_ , returns to Paris after two years and...opens a cafe? The headline wrote itself!

And a successful cafe, at that, Marinette thought to herself as she walked in. The place was already packed full of customers and it was only nine in the morning. 

She hadn’t had a chance to properly look around the day before and she scanned the place from where she stood at the entrance, taking in the large bookcase in the back corner, with several plush chairs and a low coffee table; the rustic table booths and dim lighting that lent the place a homely air. 

But by far, the most appealing thing about the place stood behind the counter. Looking up at her entrance, Adrien’s green eyes met hers across the crowded room, his face splitting in a wide grin as he weaved his way around tables and customers to greet her. 

Which was another reason why she didn’t mind doing this article-the subject was _super_ easy on the eyes. He almost reminded her of another blonde haired, green eyed boy she used to know, but Marinette quickly dispelled that thought, focusing instead on Adrien in front of her.

She was _definitely_ going to enjoy this job. 

* * *

“-a clean break, you know? I just needed to get away from everything here and start fresh somewhere new where nobody really knew me.” Adrien took a sip of his coffee, avoiding Marinette’s gaze as she scribbled down notes. 

Somehow, even though Adrien knew Marinette was writing an article about him, he found it easy to open up to her. He glanced down at his hand, at his empty finger, remembering the ring that had once sat there. It had been easy to talk to her _before_ , as well, when he had been Chat Noir. 

In the last two weeks, the small crush on Marinette that he’d nursed all those years ago, had returned full force. It didn’t help that she was at the cafe every day, sampling all their wares, taking photos of everything as though every square inch of the place needed to be documented. Most times he struggled to retain his cool, sending over his new hire instead to take her orders and serve them as well. Despite that, he couldn’t help but follow her every movement as he worked, watching for her reactions as she tried his cakes and pastries, and he couldn’t resist _at all_ when she asked him to sit with her. 

Soon, maybe when her article was done, he even planned on asking her out on a proper date. 

“And then...what made you decide to come back?” Marinette prompted, breaking him from his thoughts and he sighed. 

“Don’t get me wrong, it was nice, living in another country, with my aunt and cousin, and even just getting to go to culinary school instead of following the path my father had set out for me by having me do a business degree, but, well…” Adrien shrugged uncomfortably “Paris is home, and I wanted to come back. My father took so much from me, I didn’t want him to take this as well.” 

“That’s...wow.” Marinette straightened, sending a winning smile in his direction, seemingly unaware of the way she dazzled him. “Well I, for one, am very glad you came back to the city, because where else would I get all these amazing pastries?”

“Uh, from your parents?” Adrien raised an eyebrow, laughing and throwing his hands up in surrender when she threw her pen at him. 

“ _You know what I meant!”_

* * *

 _Adrien’s Cafe_ was shut on the anniversary. 

_Of course it would be_ , Marinette thought to herself crossly. It had been stupid to even come out today. 

Adrien had more of a claim to sadness on this day than she did, and yet, for the first time in four years, Marinette had found herself wanting to spend the day with someone instead of wallowing in her own misery and regret, without even Tikki to keep her company. 

Swallowing her disappointment, she turned away, hiking her back up on her shoulder when she heard Adrien call her name.

“Marinette?” He stood in the open doorway, regarding her with a curious tilt to his head. “What are you doing here?”

“Uh..” she smiled awkwardly “I didn’t realise you were closed today, so I’ll just…” she made to leave “I’ll just go then.” 

“Wait!” Adrien grabbed something from behind the door and stepped out to meet her. “I was gonna go on a supply run,” he said, holding up two large canvas bags, he said “do you wanna come with me?” 

* * *

On the first anniversary of defeating father, Adrien had gone to visit him. He hadn’t stayed long, had simply pulled out the box that held Plagg’s ring and showed it to him, watching as realisation dawned on father’s face and left before anything could be said. He’d had a train to catch, after all. 

The next two years, while he’d lived with Aunt Amelie and Felix, Adrien simply locked himself in his room for the day. For once, his cousin never had a snarky remark for him. He almost wished that he did. At least that would be normal.

Even the year before, Adrien had hidden himself away, overwhelmed by the memories of being back in Paris, of seeing people celebrate the day. It was the only time he’d seriously considered putting his miraculous back on to see Plagg again instead of simply staring at the ring, turning it over and over in his hands, but never wearing it. 

But this year... _this_ year Adrien had almost forgotten about the date entirely. He’d planned on going shopping anyway, to try and break his habit of locking himself away on the anniversary. His resolve had practically dissolved until he saw Marinette standing just outside the cafe, and suddenly, leaving the house hadn’t felt like such a terrible idea. 

It _was_ meant to be a quick supply run, but the two of them had turned it into a fully fledged day out; driving around the city and even stopping for lunch in the park. 

Adrien might even have called it a date. He was pretty sure that Marinette felt the same way-if the pretty blush that coloured her cheeks whenever he flirted was any indication. 

It was dark when they returned, laden down with heavy bags as Adrien-loathe to let the good day end- let them into the empty cafe, “What’ll you have then? Tea? Coffee? Hot chocolate? And you’ve gotta have some cake too. On the house!” 

Marinette shook her head, smiling softly at him and his heart skipped a beat in his chest. “You’re spoiling me, Adrien. I don’t need anything.”

“Come _on,”_ he wheedled playfully, “just one slice? and you have to have coffee with it”— sensing her wavering resolve, he rummaged in the bags until he found what he was looking for. “I’ll even use the fresh beans…” he shook the bag enticingly, grinning when Marinette conceded with a groan. 

“Oh, _fine_. Go on then.” 

“ _Alright!”_ Adrien gestured to a table, pulling out a chair for her. “Take a seat, and I’ll be right back out.” 

Adrien hummed cheerfully to himself as he worked, meticulously slicing the banana and walnut cake-it was a new recipe that he wanted Marinette’s opinion on. He smiled to himself, laughing under his breath at his thoughts. 

It was strange how in such a short amount of time, she’d come to mean _so much_ to him. Only a month ago he’d been determined to be a loner, to content himself with running the cafe and that was it. He got all the social interaction he needed from serving customers and what else could he need? 

And yet...Marinette had managed to worm her way into his life so easily he wondered at how strong his defences had been in the first place. 

Setting everything onto a tray, Adrien made his way to Marinette. “So this was the first time I made”— he stopped short, his blood freezing in his veins at the sight of the red…

...the red _kwami_ that squeaked and zipped back into Marinette’s purse at the sight of him. 

“A-adrien!” Marinette exclaimed, her voice unnaturally shrill, though he hardly noticed, eyes trained on where he’d seen the kwami disappear. “That was uh...that was-”

“You’re Ladybug.” It wasn’t a question, simply a statement of fact and she hesitated for a moment before nodding. 

“Yes. I mean...I _was._ I’m so sorry, I didn’t tell you, but I was worried-” she half rose out of her seat as though to come up to him and he took a step back, setting the tray down heavily on another table.

After all this time…

Marinette’s voice was hesitant. “Adrien?” 

“Get out.” Adrien said, turning his back on her, his mind racing, putting the pieces together, seeing everything in a new light. “Get out.” He repeated “ _leave._ Before I say something that I regret.”

“I-okay.” 

It wasn’t until the door slammed shut behind her that he let himself turn around to watch her retreating back, feeling as he had four years ago.

The emotions washed over him like a tidal wave and Adrien grabbed hold of the table as his legs buckled underneath him, the blood rushing in his ears. 

It seemed that this year was just as bad as all the rest.


	3. Chapter 3

She should have expected this.

Marinette lay awake, tossing and turning in bed, going over his reaction in her head. 

How else _would_ he have reacted? After finding out that she was to blame for essentially uprooting his entire life, forcing him to flee the country, for the vilification of his character in the press alongside his father? 

“Tikki, what should I do?” Marinette whispered to the kwami sitting on the pillow beside her head. “I _ruined his life._ ”

“I’m sorry Marinette!” Tikki cried mournfully “I should have been more careful.”

“No, it’s not your fault,” she reassured her kwami. “The truth was bound to come out eventually. It’s not like I can change the past. And a simple apology won’t cut it.” Her eyes alighted on the notebook on her bedside table and Marinette sat up abruptly, flipping through the pages, scanning all the notes she’d made throughout all her interactions with Adrien. 

As the idea began to form in her mind, Marinette couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face. 

“But maybe, I could do something _else…”_

* * *

Marinette was Ladybug. 

_Marinette_ was _Ladybug._

It had been two weeks since that night and Adrien was still reeling.

She hadn’t come by the cafe at all in that time, and he could hardly blame her. What must she think of him?

But then, hadn’t he wanted to put all that behind him? It was why he’d gone to England, why he’d refused to meet Ladybug, even as she got more and more upset in her messages, until finally, after an entire year, she’d given up. 

And yet...he’d kept the ring. 

_Could_ he forget about her again? Adrien didn’t think so, not when he was fairly sure he’d fallen in love with her, at least a little bit. 

Plagg had always talked about fate, about destiny and how nothing could stop what was meant to be. He thought of those weeks visiting Marinette on her balcony, cultivating a friendship as she built a place for herself in his heart. He thought of Ladybug, his partner who had been beside him through everything, who had waited for him even when it was clear he would not return. How, of all the cafes in Paris, Marinette had chosen to walk into his. 

Perhaps...perhaps it was time now, to call on his old friend, to reveal himself—

Adrien was broken out of his thoughts by the _ding_ of his phone and he glanced cursorily over at the screen, snatching it up when he saw Marinette’s name. 

_I know you probably never want to see me again,_ _  
__and that’s fine, but please accept this as my apology for the part I had in what happened four years ago._ _  
__Love, Marinette._

In her message, she’d attached a link to the article she’d written about the cafe. It was long, and witty, and full of praise for his recipes and personality. In it, Marinette applauded him for not letting his fathers legacy destroy him, for choosing instead to rise from the ashes and build himself anew. 

_In the weeks that I spent researching this article, getting to know Adrien Agreste, I like to think that I became his friend, as he became mine, and there is no-one that I think could be more worthy of the success that I_ know _is coming his way._

Adrien glanced over at his miraculous box sitting on his dresser. 

He’d better start making some camembert desserts.

* * *

Standing out on her balcony, Marinette sighed, trying to enjoy the cool night air, but it was no use. 

Adrien had seen her message, and shared the article to his official social media pages, so she knew that he liked it at least, but she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t disappointed that he had not responded to her. 

It was almost like losing Chat Noir all over again.Almost, but not quite. Because at least with Adrien, Marinette knew where she could find him. Chat was lost to her and she felt a dull ache in her heart, a shadow of the pain she used to feel at the loss of her partner. She doubted it would ever _truly_ go away, but it seemed the loss of Adrien was joining the pain in her heart.

Marinette startled at a dull _thump_ behind her, spinning around, the shriek that almost escaped her freezing in her throat as she took in just _who_ had landed behind her. 

_“Chat?”_ She stepped forward tentatively, hyper aware of his green eyes following her movements, watching her reach out to touch him as though he might disappear from beneath her fingertips. When he remained solid, she gaped at him, still not quite able to believe her eyes. He looked exactly the same, and yet completely different; the same vivid green eyes, the same black leather suit and ears and tail...She’d forgotten the exact texture of his suit, the small intricacies and details that she had once known by heart. With him standing in front of her, it was as though the Chat she saw in her memories was a cheap imitation compared to the real thing. Tears sprung to her eyes and she swiped them away hastily, laughing at his look of alarm. 

“Chat- _what,_ after so long…?” 

The corner of his mouth ticked up in a rueful smile. “Thank you for the article, my lady.” 

_Article?_ Marinette frowned. The only article she’d written was for…”Adrien?” While she stood, frozen, a green light flashed and Adrien stood before her, reaching out to grab her as she stared in surprise, her brain shutting down completely.

When she came back to herself, she was sitting down, with Adrien’s hand gripping hers tightly as he spoke. “-needed time, and I’m so sorry for how I reacted when I found out, I just…” he faltered “I just never thought I’d meet you, and after the way I behaved that first year, I didn’t feel like I deserved-”

“Adrien.” Marinette interrupted him, leaning forward to cup his face with her palm. “I understand.” she searched his eyes, “there’s nothing for you to apologise for. _Nothing._ ” 

For a long moment, he said nothing, seeming at a loss for words, and then quite unexpectedly, he nodded resolutely, and asked. “Can I kiss you?” 

Marinette could only nod dumbly in response.


End file.
